Compact Floribunda rose plant ‘POULac004’

ABSTRACT

A new Compact  Floribunda  rose plant which has abundant, red flowers and attractive foliage. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year round production in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Classification: Botanical: Rosa hybrida ‘POULac004’. Commercial: CompactFloribunda.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of compactfloribunda rose plant which originated from a controlled crossingbetween an unnamed seedling, non-patented, and an unnamed seedling,non-patented. The two parents were crossed and the resulting seeds wereplanted in a controlled environment. The new variety is named‘POULac004’.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety for commercialculture was to create a new and distinct variety with unique qualities,such as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant flowers;    -   2. Vigorous and compact growth;    -   3. Year-round flowering under glasshouse conditions;    -   4. Suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots;    -   5. Durable flowers and foliage which make a variety suitable for        distribution in the floral industry.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type and distinguish ‘POULac004’ from allother varieties of which we are aware.

As part of their rose development program, L. Pernille Olesen and MogensN. Olesen germinated the seeds from the aforementioned hybridization andconducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlledenvironment in Fredensborg, Denmark.

‘POULac004’ was selected by the inventors as a single plant from theprogeny of the hybridization in April 2000.

Asexual reproduction of ‘POULac004’ by cuttings and traditional buddingwas first done by L. Pernille and Mogens N. Olesen in their nursery inFredensborg, Denmark in June, 2000. This initial and other subsequentpropagations conducted in controlled environments have demonstrated thatthe characteristics of ‘POULac004’ are true to type and are transmittedfrom one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration shows as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems of ‘POULac004’.Specifically illustrated in the drawing:

1. Stem showing branching and the attachment of leaves, buds, andpeduncles;

2. Flower bud, partially opened bud, and open bloom;

3. Flower petals, detached;

4. Sepals, receptacle, and pedicel;

5. Stem as well as a bare stem exhibiting thorns;

6. Leaves.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘POULac004’, as observed in its growthin a field nursery in Jackson County, Oreg. Observed plants are 3 yearsof age. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society(London, England) Colour Chart, 1995, except where common terms of colorare used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety‘POULjoey’, a rose variety from the same inventors described andillustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,598 and issued on Oct. 24, 2000are compared to ‘POULac004’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘POULac004’ ‘POULjoey’ General Red Group 43B. Blend of Orange-tonality. Red Group 31B and Red Group 39B. Petal count. 25. 55 to 65.Bloom 70 to 90 mm. 50 to 60 mm. diameter.

-   Parents: Unnamed seedling×unnamed seedling.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Continuous.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 30 mm in length from base of receptacle            to end of bud. Bud diameter is 13 mm.        -   Bud form.—Pointed ovoid.        -   Bud color.—As sepals unfold, Red Group 46C. At ¼ opening,            Red Group 46C.        -   Sepals.—Green Group 143A. Weak foliaceous appendages on            three of the five sepals. Surfaces of sepals slightly            pubescent. Stipitate glands are occasionally present on            sepal undersides. Shape: Overall sepal shape is elliptical            and slightly broad based. Sepal apex is aristate. Base is            flat at union with peduncle. Margin: Sepal margin is entire.            Size: 32 mm long×8 mm wide.        -   Receptacle.—Surface: Scantily pubescent. Shape: Urn-shaped.            Size: 6 mm (h)×6 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A.        -   Peduncle.—Surface: With scant stipitate glands. Length: 40            to 50 mm average length. Diameter: Peduncle diameter is            2 mm. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A. On plants grown under            high light conditions, peduncle may exhibit intonations of            Greyed-Red Group 178A. Strength: Somewhat strong. Texture:            Peduncle surface is rough with stipitate glands.        -   Borne.—Typically 3 buds per stem.        -   Anthocyanin.—Greyed-Red Group 178A.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Duration.—As a pot plant, flowers last from 7 to 10 days.        -   Size.—Average flower diameter is 70 to 90 mm when open.            Average flower depth is 24 mm.        -   Form.—Shape of flower when viewed from the side: Upon            opening, upper part: Flattened convex. Upon opening, lower            part: Convex. Open flower, upper part: Flattened convex.            Open flower, lower part: Convex.        -   Petalage.—Average range: 25 to 28 petals under normal            conditions with 14 petaloids.-   Color:    -   -   Upon opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Red            Group 46C. Inner Side: Red Group 43B. Innermost petals:            Outer Side: Red Group 46C. Inner Side: Red Group 43B.        -   Upon opening, basal petal spots.—Outermost petals: Outer            Side: White Group 155A. Inner Side: White Group 155A.            Innermost petals: Outer Side: White Group 155A. Inner Side:            White Group 155A.        -   After opening, petals.—Outermost petals: Outer Side: Red            Group 46C. Inner Side: Red Group 43B. Innermost petals:            Outer Side: Red Group 46C. Inner Side: Red Group 43B.        -   After opening, basal petal spots.—Outermost petals: Outer            Side: White Group 155A. Inner Side: White Group 155A.            Innermost petals: Outer Side: White Group 155A. Inner Side:            White Group 155A.-   General tonality: On open flower Red Group 43B. No change in the    general tonality at the end of the 10^(th) day. Afterwards, general    tonality is Red Group 43B.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal reflex.—Medium.        -   Petal edge.—Entire.        -   Shape.—Apex is round; base is pointed. Overall petal shape            is deltoid.        -   Size.—Petals are 32 mm in length by 30 mm wide.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity: 14. Size: 20 mm long; 10 mm wide.            Color: Red Group 45A. Shape: Petaloids are falcate with            obtuse petaloid apex.        -   Thickness.—Moderately thick.        -   Arrangement.—Formal.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pistils.—Length: 6 mm long. Quantity: 50. Color:            Greyed-Yellow Group 160B.        -   Pollen.—Color: Yellow-Orange Group 15A. Quantity: Scant.        -   Anthers.—Size: 7 mm long. Color: Red Group 54A. Quantity:            114.        -   Filaments.—Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 162A. Length: 2 mm.        -   Stigmas.—Level in position with anthers. Color:            Greyed-Yellow Group 162C.        -   Styles.—Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 160A.        -   Seed formation.—None observed.

PLANT

-   Plant growth: Moderate. The average plant height is 50 cm and the    average plant width is 50 cm.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Young wood: Yellow-Green Group 146C. Older wood:            Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Prickles.—Incidence: 10 mm per 10 cm of stem. Size: Average            length: 6 mm. Color: Greyed-Yellow Group 161A. Shape:            Concave.        -   Surface.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.        -   Length.—25 to 30 cm.        -   Diameter.—7 mm.        -   Internodes.—60 to 70 mm.-   Plant foliage: Normal number of leaflets on normal leaves in middle    of the stem: 5 leaflets.    -   -   Leaf size.—55 mm (l)×35 mm (w).        -   Quantity.—1 to 2 leaves per 10 cm of stem.        -   Color.—Upper Leaf Surface: Green Group 139A. Lower Leaf            Surface: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Juvenile foliage: Upper            Leaf Surface: Green Group 139A. Lower Leaf Surface:            Yellow-Green Group 146B.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Size: 30 mm long. Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B.            Presence of stipitate glands: Scant. Shape: Linear. Margins:            Entire.        -   Petiole.—Length: 30 mm. Diameter: 2 mm. Color: Yellow-Green            Group 146B.        -   Rachis.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Margins: With            stipitate glands.        -   Leaflet.—Edge: Serrated. Size: 45 mm in length by 40 mm in            width. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex shape is round to            cuspidate. Base shape is round. Vein color: Yellow-Green            Group 151A. Glossiness: Moderately glossy. Arrangement: Odd            pinnate. Thickness: Somewhat thick. Venation: Reticulate.-   Disease resistance: Average resistance to mildew, black spot, and    Botrytis under normal growing conditions in Jackson County, Oreg.-   Cold hardiness: ‘POULac004’ has been found to be resistant to damage    from cold, heat and drought in USDA Zone 7.

1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the Compact Floribundaclass, substantially as herein illustrated and described as a distinctand novel rose variety due to its abundant, red flowers, vigorousgrowth, compact habit, suitability for production from softwood cuttingsin pots, and durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitablefor distribution in the floral industry.